For the first time, scientists have captured live footage of goblin sharks in their natural deep-sea environment. The rare sightings occurred during separate expeditions in the Pacific Ocean—one near the Tonga Trench and another near Jarvis Island—thousands of kilometers apart. Previously, goblin sharks were only observed when accidentally caught by fishing lines, leaving much of their behavior and habitat unknown. The new findings, published in the Journal of Fish Biology, confirm the species' presence in the central Pacific and expand its known geographic range.

The footage, recorded from over 50 days of deep-sea video, shows the shark’s distinctive features, including its protruding snout and extendable jaws used to snatch prey. At nearly 2,000 meters deep, the Tonga Trench observation also marks the deepest-known recording of a white shark. Goblin sharks can grow up to seven meters long and have a slow metabolism typical of deep-sea species.

Considered one of the most unusual-looking sharks, the goblin shark has remained largely unchanged for about 125 million years. Its name originates from a Japanese folklore creature with a long nose and red cheeks. Scientists describe it as 'bizarre' and 'not even a mother would love,' but its evolutionary resilience makes it a key subject for understanding deep-ocean ecosystems.